The following invention relates to a method and system for providing training and, in particular, to a method and system for providing remote training in a technical field.
Education and training in technical skills has become increasingly important for workers to succeed in today""s environment. Typically, workers acquire technical skills by attending educational institutions that offer degree programs in various technical disciplines such as chemistry, computer science and electrical engineering. Employers often require that an employee complete a degree program in a relevant field as a prerequisite to employment.
University degree programs, however, while adequate at providing a student with a basic foundation in a particular technical field, generally do not provide the specialized skills the student requires to perform in industry. For example, while a student may learn the technical principles of chemistry and electrical engineering underlying the operation of computer chip manufacturing, universities typically do not have the resources to provide students with hands on experience in coating photoresist and imaging on silicon wafers used to make the computer chips. Because universities are not equipped to train students in such specialized skill areas, workers have to learn these skills on the job, at the expense of the employer.
The emergence of the Internet has given rise to a growing number of online educational institutions including eCollege, (http://www.ecollege.com/) and Virtual Online University, (http://www.vousi.com/). These online educational institutions typically provide students with a variety of courses and degree programs in various technical disciplines that may include courses offered by xe2x80x9cbrick and mortarxe2x80x9d universities and college. Thus, online educational institutions enable students to acquire education and training in technical disciplines from any Internet-enabled device.
Although online educational institutions make training in technical skills broadly available, they suffer from the same drawback as their xe2x80x9cbrick and mortarxe2x80x9d counterparts in that they don""t have the resources to provide students with the hands-on or interactive training, practical training in specialized technical fields.
Accordingly, it is desirable to provide a way in which students can receive practical training in technical fields that is not offered by educational institutions.
The present invention is directed at overcoming the drawbacks of the prior art. Under the present invention a system and method for providing training in a technical field to a student is provided and includes at least one educational institution that provides an educational program. Also included is at least one industry education provider that provides a training program in a technical field. An online education provider is also included wherein the online education provider is in communications with the at least one educational institution and the at least one industry education provider. The online education provider provides to the student a composite educational program including the educational program and the training program in said technical field.
In an exemplary embodiment, the student communicates with the online education provider via the Internet for receiving the composite educational program.
In an exemplary embodiment, the industry education provider includes equipment for teaching a technical skill in the technical field and the composite educational program includes access to the equipment for teaching the technical skill.
In an exemplary embodiment, a control module is included and is in communications with said equipment for controlling the equipment. The control module provides at least one exercise associated with the technical skill using the equipment and the composite educational program includes the at least one exercise.
Accordingly, a method and system is provided in which students can receive education in a particular subject area from an educational institution and also receive practical training in a related technical field not otherwise offered by such educational institution.
The invention accordingly comprises the features of construction, combination of elements and arrangement of parts that will be exemplified in the following detailed disclosure, and the scope of the invention will be indicated in the claims. Other features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the description, the drawings and the claims.